The Extended National Consumer Price Index-15 (IPCA-15) had a variation of 0.55% in March, a rate inferior to the 0.94% of February. With this result, the first quarter of the year (Special Extended National Consumer Price Index [IPCA-E]) was 2.02%, a result superior to the 1.14% verified in the same period of the previous year. Considering the last 12 months, the index was 5.09%, also above the immediately previous 12 months (4.63%). In March 2009, the rate had been 0.11%.

In March, IPCA reduction was especially due to the group Education, whose effect of seasonal beginning-of-the-year readjustments concentrated in February. With the result of March, the group presented a variation of 0.55%, whereas in February it reached 4.55%. The 0.55% month rate basically reflects the readjustments occurred in the metropolitan area of Fortaleza (5.77%).

Fares of urban buses, which changed from 3.84% in February to 1.70% in March, also contributed to the decreased index of March. This result reflects the variations of the following surveyed areas: Belém (6.32%), with an 8.80% readjustment (in effect since February 3); Rio de Janeiro (5.86%), with a 6.82% readjustment; and Porto Alegre (5.60%), with a 6.52% readjustment (on February 7).

Besides, fuels changed from 1.94% in February to -0.26% in March. Alcohol presented a decrease of 0.97% in comparison to the increase of 8.86% of the previous month, whereas gasoline, from 1.34% changed to -0.20%.

With this result, the group non-food products, which had been 0.93% in February, changed to 0.35% in March.

From one month to another, food products increased from 0.98% in February to 1.22% in March, keeping the upward trend. Prices presented a rise in Curitiba. Several products became more expensive, with highlights being tomatoes (26.50%), refined sugar (10.26%), crystallized sugar (8.06%), green vegetables (7.67%), pasteurized milk (5.27%) and fruits (3.40%).

The results of the groups follow.

For the calculation of IPCA-15, prices collected between February 11 and March 15 were compared to those in effect between January 15 and February 10. The indicator refers to families with monthly income ranging from 1 to 40 minimum wages, and encompasses the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Recife, São Paulo, Belém, Fortaleza, Salvador and Curitiba, besides Brasília and Goiânia. The methodology is the same used for IPCA; the difference lies in the period of price collection.

Among regional indexes, the highest was still recorded in Belém (1.12%), having in mind principally the rise in fares of urban buses (6.32%) and electricity (3.01%). Goiânia (-0.19%), with the lowest result, presented deflation.